Blessing in Service
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Social
Why do we come to church? Some of us come because it socially accepted to come to church. Others come because they feel guilty if they don’t come to church. Still others come because they gain something by coming. Still others come because they want to share something.
I come to church because you pay me too. Even if you didn’t pay, I’d be here. Please don’t stop paying me, though!
I remember being in Dallas. Everyone was very busy. There were actually fellow students at the seminary, who were studying to be a pastor, who would skip going to church because they had school papers and projects to prepare.
Some of my friends and I couldn’t understand it. We actually told our employers that we wouldn’t work on Sunday, as a condition of our hiring. Then, we made a commitment to being in church, even if it meant turning in an assignment late.
Worshiping the Lord is important. There is a danger to our soul if we do not make worshiping God a commitment. And there is a danger to our church if we misuse that worship for our own benefit or pleasure.
When worshiping God is a priority, there is a blessing that comes both to the individual and to the whole church.
We will read the passage we have been studying and then review what we have learned the past few weeks.
In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions.
The Corinthians had been dividing their church into the “have’s” and the “have-not’s”. Every time the early church would meet for a service, they would have a meal after the service. During that meal, they would celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
Unfortunately, that division happened. The rich would have their supper and celebration in the main dining room. The rest were in the courtyard. The rich would be served first and ate their fill, even if it meant those in the courtyard would not get enough.
Paul says that such things should not be. And through this passage, he presented important principles about worship.
He said that our attitude of worship should be humility, unity, service, and focus. Our focus of worship should be Jesus Christ, his life, death, redemption, and proclamation.
When we have the right attitude and the right focus in worship, there is a certain result, a blessing that comes to those who seek God. However, when we have the wrong focus and the wrong attitude, there is a different result.
We will talk about that first, before circling back to the blessing.
1. Result of Worship: Discipline
1. Result of Worship: Discipline
Paul warns the Corinthians that they are being disciplined because of their sinfulness while taking the Lord’s Supper.
That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.
But, what was the sin, again?
A. The Sin
A. The Sin
Many people read this passage and are confused about what is going on. They read this passage and forget the context in which it was written.
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
The Corinthians were using their worship services, specifically the Lord’s Supper, to divide the church. Those who were rich and of a certain social status could eat over there. The rest, who were not worthy, could eat over there.
Those guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord were those who despised a poorer member by utter disregard for his need.
The rich were reclining at the table, gorging themselves, while the poor ate scraps in the courtyard. The rich did this, knowing that the poor would go home to empty cupboards.
Paul wrote:
For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.
What is meant by “the body of Christ.” Interestingly, in the original language “of Christ” is not there. It is just “without discerning the body.” I believe that Paul is referring to the body of Christ, but what body is he referring to?
The sin of the Corinthians is against the body of Christ, as in the church, not the physical body of Christ that hung on the cross. They were not discerning, they were not seeing that they were part of one unit.
Therefore, they ate in an unworthy manner, because it was us and them, instead of us. It was, how can I meet my desires, instead of: how can I meet their needs.
B. The Result
B. The Result
The result of the Corinthian’s sin was drastic.
For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
The Corinthians did not sin against the elements of the Lord’s Supper but were being held accountable for sin against Christ. They claimed to be identified with him, but were using the celebration of the mal as an occasion for social enjoyment or even for boosting their status, without regard for the unity that sharing the Lord’s supper is supposed to proclaim.
Because of their sin against the Body of Christ, the body was hurting.
Many people in Corinth were sick because of their sin. Some had even died because of their sin.
Some might look at this and say: well, isn’t that harsh?
I respond with: what is the appropriate response to what is going on in Corinth?
Paul’s warning was not to those who were leading unworthy lives and were longing for forgiveness. His warning was to those who were making a mockery by their behavior of that which should have been most sacred and solemn.
So, God disciplines them, because a good parent will discipline their child.
Believe me, you all should be very glad that my parents disciplined me. I’ve told some stories before. They could tell even more.... and my sister would gladly tell even more.
God disciplines us so that we would stop sinning and turn back to him. And, sometimes, he take us home.
And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?
C. The Hope
C. The Hope
The Corinthians sinned in their worship and were disciplined for it. But, Paul offers hope.
But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
They were being disciplined so that they would repent and turn back to Jesus. When God disciplines us, that is one of the proofs that we are his.
The author of Hebrews says it this way:
If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.
The discipline, when it happens, causes us to stop and wonder what is happening. Then, God makes clear what needs to change.
There was a period in my life when I struggled with some serious sin. Then God brought someone special into my life, and because of my sin, I almost lost that person.
Discipline is hard. It hurts. But it happens so that we will change and not be finally condemned.
Paul urges the Corinthians to change, to start seeing their church as the Body of Christ and to worship in that unity.
And he knows that they will change. He expects it. He doesn’t hold their sin against them, but looks to the future when he will visit them again, continuing in more teaching.
Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions.
In the same way, God continues to pursue relationship with us.
The Corinthians sinned. They were disciplined. But, there was hope through it.
2. Result of Worship: Blessing
2. Result of Worship: Blessing
What was waiting on the other side of this ordeal for the Corinthians was the result of a proper attitude and focus of worship. All the blessings that come from pursuing our Creator. There are personal blessings, but also corporate blessings, given to the whole church.
We will leave the personal blessings for another day, and look at three corporate blessings.
A. Lack of Judgment
A. Lack of Judgment
I will just briefly say it. When we have the correct attitude and focus of worship, there is no judgment.
So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions.
Technically, we shouldn’t live out of fear. But, as I tell me kids, if you don’t want to be disciplined, don’t disobey. God knows what is best for us. He puts up barriers so that we will pursue what is best.
Calvary Bible Church has gone through some hard times, ebbs and flows in its ministry. I’ve seen it even in the seven years of being here.
I’ve seen something fascinating. When we as a church have a focus on praying together, seeking God’s face, we grow spiritually and we grow numerically.
Last year, in January, we started our Wednesday night prayer meeting, and we have seen people turn to Jesus, marriages grow, families have started coming. We created a new parking lot and are remodeling our kitchen.
Before January, we had lost that focus, and things were starting to head in the wrong direction. I saw, and I am grateful that some people joined me in the refocus.
Because, when we don’t refocus back to Jesus. We splinter, we fight, we hold grudges, we start asking: what can I get out of this, rather than what does God want.
So, yes, a blessing of focusing on Jesus is a lack of judgment.
B. Unity
B. Unity
There is also the blessing of unity.
So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together.
We are designed to be one body. A healthy body. When our physical body is sick, we don’t feel good.
I know people who act like they are dying when they have a head cold. They lay around, surrounded by Kleenex’s, moaning and groaning.
They are kinda funny to watch.
When a church isn’t unified, they are sick. Sometimes, they get so sick that they get an amputation. Once that happens, though they learn to live with it, they are never the same again.
Jesus prayed:
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Jesus designed his church to be unified. When we come to the Lord’s Supper, eating the elements together, we are declaring to ourselves and all those who see that we are the body of Christ, and as such we are one. We are all parts of that body, and therefore are gifts to each other.
Which is sometimes hard to swallow, because no one wants to think of weird Uncle Bernie as a gift to them.
But, we come to this table and realize our unity, because we are declaring the assurance of acceptance that Jesus offers: he accepts the sinful, the weak, the weary. By faith, we once again receive the assurance that Christ receives sinners, of which I am the chief.
This unity is such a blessing because we have a better understanding of who we are and who God is. We have a better ability to share the Gospel. We have people to lean on in times of grief and in times of joy.
Unity is health. And health is always a blessing.
C. Service
C. Service
The final blessing comes from service to each other.
Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions.
We are called to serve one another.
It is interesting that so many churches stress an examination of sins before taking the Lord’s Supper, seeking absolution before eating the elements. However, Paul’s call for examination is not for sins, but about their attitudes. Do they have the right attitude of worship, what is their attitude toward those who are more needy then themselves?
Paul is calling for a radically different group of people to refrain from the Lord’s Supper than usually appears.
As one commentator wrote:
“All repentant sinners are welcome, no matter how far away from God they may have recently felt. All professing believers who are unprepared to give generously of their wealth to help the poor in their midst, or who treat people of lower classes as second-class citizens, or who simply remain unreconciled with fellow celebrants, should refrain.”
Jesus said it this way:
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
So, what does it mean to serve one another. In our fellowship meals, we offer to-go boxes for anyone who wants them. Regularly, throughout the year, we take up offerings for ministries here in our area, and around the world. We have a budgeted amount for those who cannot afford rent or food or utility bills. We encourage people to volunteer at the food pantry or to deliver meals for the Senior Center.
But, we can still do more.
It is for us as followers of Christ to continually look at how we can seek unity and serve those around us, both in the body and in the community.
There is a blessing that comes to those who stop looking inward and start helping those around them.
Paul told the Ephesians:
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
How are we doing?
If you can think of a way we can promote unity and service, drop me a note through text, email, or notecard, and let us keep pursuing Christ together.
The attitude of worship: humility, unity, service, and focus.
The focus of worship: Christ: his life, death, redemption, and proclamation
The result of worship: blessing through unity and service